Exercise impact on the knee.

Different exercises produce different impacts on the knee joints. The best and safest exercises causing minimum impact on the knee after knee replacement or patients with knee arthritis are swimming, walking, biking, hiking, riding an exercise bike, riding an elliptical trainer and walking on the treadmill. In sports one can play doubles tennis and not singles. One can also participate in downhill or cross–country skiing. The maximum stress–producing exercises are jogging and golf swings, while the least stressing is swimming.

Impact according to activity:

1. Biking or cycling generates the least force, producing impact of about 1.3 times the person’s body weight.

2. Treadmill walking was next best, producing forces of 2.05 times the body weight.

3. Walking on level ground generated forces of 2.6 times the body weight.

4. A game of tennis produces forces of 3.1 to 3.8 times the body weight; serving produces the highest impact.

5. Jogging produced forces of 4.3 times body weight.

6. Golf swings produces forces of 4.5 times body weight on the forward knee and 3.2 times body weight in the opposite knee.

As you're now aware what has been the cause of your knee pain due to any of the above activity, it's time to switch to a grade lower in the activity and feel the difference. One can also consider low impact aerobic activity like Pilates in early arthritis of knee.